The No. 1-ranked team and No. 2-ranked team will be going head-to-head this weekend to see who can secure the Big Ten title, and practically no one is talking about it. Ohio State was ranked No. 1 after Week 1 and hasn't budged since. Indiana was ranked No. 2 about midway through the season and also hasn't budged.
This is going to be a major matchup, and many believe it is yet another case of David and Goliath, with Ohio State being the giant and Indiana holding the slingshot. Indiana certainly is not looking at this matchup this way as they feel they are a completely different team from last season, and they truly are.
Head coach Curt Cignetti hit the transfer portal hard and found probably the best player in Fernando Mendoza, who should be heading to New York as a Heisman Trophy finalist and has a real shot at winning the award. The Hoosiers' defense is very much improved from last season as well, and this team can compete with anyone.
CBSSports' Aaron Taylor believes Indiana vs. Ohio State is a closer matchup than people will think
"It looks like David and Goliath but it's not that way on film."@AaronTaylorCFB
— CBS Sports College Football 🏈 (@CBSSportsCFB) December 3, 2025
thinks Indiana will take down Ohio State in the Big Ten Championship game‼️ pic.twitter.com/YwEaIR4dAe
Ohio State and Indiana will now meet for the second year in a row as ranked teams, although this time, the stakes are a lot higher. In 2024, these teams met in the regular season, and it was clear that the Buckeyes were the better team. Now, in 2025, on paper, Ohio State looks better, but on film, it isn't so black and white.
CBSSports spoke about this matchup, and Aaron Taylor made a great point about this matchup that no one is thinking about.
"This is a game that Indiana has had circled for a while," Taylor said. "I believe they are a little more hungry than Ohio State, possibly, and that's the difference."
Taylor also brought up the difference in the offensive line this season compared to last season for Indiana. The Hoosiers' offensive line was nowhere near where it needed to be in order to compete the way they wanted to, but this season, Indiana's offensive line has protected Mendoza and opened up a lot in the run game.
The lines are going to be the difference makers for both teams in this matchup, and ultimately, it could come down to a true game in the trenches.